


Assembly

by brandywine421



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen, Post-Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-04
Updated: 2015-05-04
Packaged: 2018-03-29 01:11:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3876709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brandywine421/pseuds/brandywine421
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post AoU scene.  Obligatory, maybe?  Cap tries to get to know the newbies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Assembly

**Author's Note:**

> Just playing around with that closing scene.

 

 

Steve stepped into the commons room of the new 'barracks' and followed the soft breathing to the far corner by the window.  Wanda was curled in one of the armchairs in a patch of sun with a ratted blanket that she'd gotten from somewhere.  Her eyes followed him, heavy-lidded but fully alert.

"Hey.  How're you settling in?" he asked, keeping his distance but sitting down on the coffee table close enough to make contact if allowed.  He worried about the girl.  Magic was dangerous, it was an unspoken fear of all of them; but she was on their team now.

He owed her; they all did, for helping save as many people as they did.  So far, all she'd gained from it was the loss of her brother.  He wanted to help but there was only one thing they could do.

"It's hard to sleep without the lullaby of war," she murmured.

He nodded.  He understood that at least.

"It is interesting that your fear, the one that crippled you; it's one you are already living.  Yet, you found your way back.  You could have lived in your dream - " she began.

"That's not what I'm here to talk about.  No offense, but we don't know each other that well yet," Steve interrupted, forcing himself to be kind despite his underlying shock.  "My demons are my own, I'd prefer to keep them to myself.  I think you have enough of your own, yeah?"

She gave him a weak smile with a half eye-roll.

"I have news.  I'm not sure how you're going to react but I'm hoping you trust me enough not to 'zap' me until I'm finished," Steve said.

"What news would make me want to zap you?" she asked warily.

"Your brother's alive," he said, not willing to stretch it out any further.

Wanda sat up abruptly.  "What?"

"It was touch and go and with everything that was going on, we didn't get him to our best doctors until after the locals had tried to help.  They couldn't help, but our doctors - "

"Take me to him.  **Now**."

Steve held up his hand to hopefully defuse the swirl of red filling her eyes.  "That's what I came here to do.  He isn't awake, he's resting and to be completely honest - I didn't know about this until about 30 minutes ago.  I'll deny it, but we're lucky SHIELD didn't figure out he was there.  Barton got him in with the survivors under a fake name."

Wanda hesitated, twisting her fingers in the frayed cloth.  "You protected him?"

"He saved a lot of people, Wanda, some of them personal friends of mine.  We try to look after our own and the two of you are ours as long as you're willing.  I'll take you to him but - "

She nodded slightly.  "I won't hurt anyone unless they hurt him.  Is he - will he be all right?"

"He needs to rest.  Stark's tech - I don't trust it, not yet; but Vision and Thor's people; they say he'll heal," Steve said.  He held out his hand and took her delicate fingers into his palm.  "The best thing for him now is to wake up and see you safe and healthy by his side."

He walked her to the elevator and through the halls filled with curious and cautious staff.  The Captain and the Witch being seen together would put some of the whispers at ease and he wanted the twins to feel safe, not under a microscope.

"Thank you.  For not giving him to SHIELD," she said softly.  She was still clutching the thin blanket but that wasn't his business.

"Nobody belongs in a cage," Steve said.  "Well, except criminals, and you guys aren't criminals yet, not after how many you saved."

"I felt him when he died, why haven't I felt him since?" Wanda asked, hesitating suddenly by the swinging doors to the medical wing.

"I don't know how that works, but maybe it was too soon for you to open yourself up to feel it.  And he's asleep.  You don't mess with people when they're sleeping, do you?" Steve paused.  He wondered if he needed to get some psychic shielding advice from the X-Men.

One of the doctor jumped in surprise when he found them outside of the doors.  "Oh.  Um.  Hello, Captain.  They told us you'd be coming down, how much trouble are we in?"

"I should have been informed right away but as long as he's safe and there were no tests run unrelated to his injuries, I won't reprimand you.  Stark and Banner aren't here anymore and human testing - " Steve started.

The doc held up both hands.  "We got the memo, sir.  We have questions, but our appointment's on for two o'clock."

He nodded and turned back to Wanda.  "Ready?"

She pulled her hand away and smoothed down her shirt and folded the blanket carefully before giving him a steady nod.

 

* * *

 

"Hey," Steve said without opening his eyes.  He nearly recognized everyone's footsteps after the past few days in the new place.  Rhodes wasn't full time, he had an actual home like Sam, but he'd been around enough sorting out the logistics of the revamped Avengers to be familiar.

"I can come back," Rhodes spoke.  "Light sleeper?"

"Not sleeping.  Trying to process all this.  How are you doing?"  His feet were on the coffee table but he didn't have on shoes so he wasn't _really_ breaking his own rule.

"Been a long time since I wasn't wearing a uniform all day every day.  Still not sure I made the right choice but…"

Steve hummed his understanding.  "I'm glad you're here.  Even if you're only doing it because Tony asked you to, I'm still glad.  Sam's good for air support but a lot more of his soft parts are on display."

"But it's not the team you wanted, is it?"

He cracked open an eye.  "The team I wanted has been dead 70 years and none of them needed to fly to get things done.  Things are different now."

The couch sank as Rhodes sat down.  "So.  You and Tony.  How are things?"

Steve shrugged.  "Miss his tech but goddammit if I don't feel safer with him far away from here."

"Huh.  Really?"

He nodded, sitting up.  "Yeah.  I know you're close with him.  You fly around in the suit he made for you and we're all using his tech to survive on the field but Ultron - he went behind everyone's back, dragged Bruce down with him and if he really believed he was doing the right thing, and I mean _deep down_ believed it - he wouldn't have kept it a secret."

He didn't turn to see Rhodes' reaction, the ice was always thin when it came to Tony Stark.

"I miss him, but I'm glad he's gone right now," Steve admitted.  "I trusted him, I trusted him to do what's right but that varies for all of us and I can't make an educated decision on his motives right now.  I know he's not a bad guy, he's an ally, but..."

"I get it.  Well, I don't because I know Tony a lot better than you, but I do get where you're coming from.  Just don't write him off all the way, okay?"

"We email and Pepper calls every couple of days.  I've been chasing my best friend who's a recovering, I hope, assassin.  I don't write off my friends that easily," Steve said.

Rhodes gave him a small smile.  "Good.  And before you think I'm snooping for him, I haven't gotten an email in weeks.  I'll let you get back to napping, or processing.  Anything I can help with?"

"Taco Tuesdays."

"Excuse me?" Rhodes choked out.

"I have no idea how to tell the caterer that we want Taco Tuesdays.  The first one laughed at me and hung up," Steve said.

Rhodes chuckled and patted him on the back.  "Let me handle the catering today and you handle the training schedule."

 

* * *

 

Steve didn't need to roll over to make space for Natasha's silent weight on the edge of his bed.  It was a new habit but he wasn't going to turn away comfort even if she was there to take her own.

"Okay?" she whispered.

"Mm.  Tired?"  He couldn't sleep.  He missed sleep.

"I should be.  Can't sleep."

"Beds are too big.  Cuddle?"

"You mind?"

"Nah.  Just don't take all the covers," he said as she curled her body against him.

"Thanks," she murmured.

"I miss them, too," he said.

Her hair tickled his arm but he felt his eyes slip closed easily with her warmth at his side.  Keep your friends close.

 

* * *

 

"Stark's not here," the heavily accented voice broke through his, for once, lazy morning.

The kid looked better than the last time he'd checked on him in the medical ward, he was walking on his own for one thing and his skin had pinked up.  He also didn't have Wanda stuck to his side like a barnacle.  He had a feeling that was rare even before his near-fatal experience.

"He's got his own business to take care of.  He's a consultant now, not a full-time Avenger," Steve replied, careful.

Pietro nodded thoughtfully.  Steve wondered how well he had to know him before he told him to get a haircut.

"I don't know if I would be able to work with him.  But Wanda likes it here and wants to stay so I have to get used to the way things are," Pietro said quietly.  "And I'm supposed to thank you for saving my life."

Steve waved it off.  "I didn't have anything to do with that.  I should be thanking you for saving one of mine.  You're not a prisoner here."

"Our country is gone.  We have nowhere else to go," Pietro said.

Steve had considered that, it was one of the reasons he wanted the twins to feel comfortable.  They were just kids.  He thought.  He should probably look into that.  "I'm sorry.  I hope you'll find somewhere safe to put down roots," he finally replied.

Pietro sat down and let out a tired sigh.  "She trusts you.  I don't know why."

"She's been awake longer than you.  I don't think she slept through the night until you woke up.  She needs to rest as much as you do."

Pietro scanned him again.  "What do you want from us?"

"Your help, that's all.  You've seen and gone through things I have no concept of.  I need people to back me up, to question me - to watch my people's backs.  To be one of my people," Steve said.  "You should talk to your sister and see what you want to do.  You don't owe us anything."

"She trusts you, that's enough for me.  For now.  If Stark comes back, I don't know if I will feel the same," Pietro said.

"Understood.  Hungry?" Steve offered as he set out his mid-morning meal.

 

* * *

 

"Heard you've been making your rounds to rally the troops, don't I get a visit?" Sam asked.

Steve glanced up from the tablet scrolling through assorted threats filtered to them from SHIELD and the military.  "Do you need one?  I was hoping you were already on my side."

"Dude, I'm on a team with _James Rhodes_.  I mean, the Avengers are cool and everything, but James Rhodes is my hero," Sam said, plopping onto the couch and taking the tablet from him.  "What's up with you?  Any word on Barnes - "

"I have been told that he'll show himself when he's ready and that I should drop it," Steve replied automatically

"Natasha got to you, too?  I didn't think that would make you drop it," Sam snorted.

He scoffed.  "You'd be right.  But there's all this now and - what else can we do without more Intel?"

Sam skimmed over him.  "There's more to it.  Who do you have on the ground?"

"Well, if I told you that, I'd have to kill you," he smiled.

Sam shoved him.  "Come on, I'm first string on this hunt, not cool."

"Do you want to follow leads across Western Europe or hang out here with James Rhodes?" Steve countered.

Sam sighed.  "Fine.  So back to the subject at hand - how are you?"

"Alive.  Healthy.  Surrounded by friends and prospective friends.  Isn't that enough?"

"For now.  One day you'll be able to add 'happy' to that list," Sam said pointedly.

Steve shrugged and couldn't hide his smile.

"What's that?  I saw that, Old Man, what made that smile?"

"Ask me next week," Steve replied.

Sam frowned, suspicious, but dropped it.  "Don't think I'll forget."

 

* * *

 

"Don't bring her flowers, it'll just insult her if you try and treat her like a lady.  Under no circumstances should you treat her like a lady," Clint said through the speaker.  He couldn't make out his wife's chattering in the background but Clint sighed.  "Okay, so Laura disagrees, but trust me, I'm right about this."

Steve glanced at the bouquet he'd picked up already.  "Can I pull her chair out, or…"

"JUST BE YOURSELF!" Laura yelled and he recognized the sound of a scuffle before Clint returned to the line.

"You're Captain America, probably the most eligible bachelor on the planet right now," Clint said.

"I like her because she doesn't give a damn about that.  If anything, it's what made her turn me down when I asked her before."

"Stop the bus.  You asked her out before?  She turned you down?"

Steve shrugged and tossed another shirt on the bed.  Why was it so hard to find clothes that fit?  "Yeah.  She's badass, you know?  I like her.  But she turned me down, twice last year but this time, she asked me out."

"Aww!" Laura's comment filtered through and he smiled at Clint's annoyed scolding at his wife.

"She'll eat you alive.  She won't even bother trying to kill you with her thighs like the Widow, she'll shoot you in the face.  And for God's sake, don't tell Natasha."

"You are sadly just as unhelpful as I thought you'd be," Steve sighed.

Laura's voice took over.  "No khakis and wear that blue shirt you wore on Jimmy Fallon, you looked great, and do the flowers but not roses.  And absolutely pull her chair out but don't order for her or call her ma'am."

"Thanks.  I'll call you first next time, I just figured since Clint got himself a nice girl that he'd have good advice," Steve laughed.

"Remind me to tell you the real story about how we met and you'll regret ever thinking that he has game," she giggled before Clint's voice took over.

"Now that you've successfully refreshed my wife's crush on you, let's get down to business.  Do you have condoms and - "

"Bye, Clint," Steve said, reaching for the blue shirt.

 

* * *

 

"Vision, how are you doing?" Steve asked.  What kind of world was he living in where a witch and a sort of robot were his housemates?

The man - robot - sort of God - whatever - nodded at him with those unsettling eyes.  "I am fine, Captain, in the human definition.  Is my presence required?"

"Uh, no, just checking on you."

Vision tilted his head.  "I have been told of your visitations to the others, I did not think I warranted a pep talk."

Steve smiled.  It was reassuring that the - guy - was interacting with the others.  "Is that what they're calling it?  I just like to know that my team's okay.  On and off the battlefield.  You're new to this place, right?  I admit I don't know exactly how it works, but - "

"Having a physical body is indeed a new experience.  I am constantly discovering new facets of a corporeal form," Vision said.  He reached out and poked Steve hard in the shoulder.

"I can't imagine.  Are you settling in?  Is there anything we can do to help?" Steve offered, rubbing the spot.  Ouch.

"I believe it is my job to provide you help.  Why would I need assistance?" Vision replied.

"This is new to all of us and you're a part of the team.  We couldn’t have defeated Ultron without you.  I know you would probably be most comfortable with Tony around but - "

Vision turned his attention to the window.  "I am unsure of who I am most comfortable with.  I am comfortable with all.  It is others that may be uncomfortable.  I may have a human form, but emotions are…strange.  It is hard to put a name to the...feelings.  Sarcasm and fondness are the two emotions I have identified thus far."

"Huh.  We'll have to work on that.  Don't go around poking people though, that's impolite," Steve said and poked him back.  "And I'm not sure sarcasm is an emotion."

Vision glanced at him and after a moment, smiled.

"Don't be afraid to interact with the rest of us.  We need to get to know each other if we're going to work together.  And let me know if you have any questions or need anything, okay?"  Steve waited for the man - robot - whatever - to nod before turning away to head down to check the recruits.

"Captain."  Steve turned and tried not to fidget until Vision's gaze.  "Thank you."

"No thanks, needed, Vision."  That wasn't so bad.

 

* * *

 

It took a few weeks for him to settle into his new home and new team but he felt like things were going as smoothly as anyone could hope.  The Twins and Vision got along better than he understood, Sam and Rhodes were like brothers by now and Natasha hovered over him now that she knew he was seeing someone that didn't get prior approval.

Things would level out, they had to.  This was going to work.  It was a different team, but every team was different.  They just needed to trust each other.

"Captain?  The others would like to know if you are joining us for pizza.  Pietro is eager to talk to you about his new training regiment," Vision stated from his doorway.

"Oh.  Sure thing," he said, turning away from the new sketchpad that Tony sent him in one of his ' _I'm not sorry but take my money even though they're not to apologize for fucking up the world_ ' presents.

Things would level out.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> AN: I don't have a problem with them killing Pietro, I was a little disappointed, sure, but for the purposes of this fluffy little piece, I wanted him there just so Wanda wouldn't be Forever Alone because she makes me sad. What little character development we had with them makes me think she's never going to get over losing her brother.
> 
> (I totally want the fic where he is dead, though, and Cap and Wanda bond because, 'even when she had nothing, she had Pietro' and all of that.)


End file.
